Understanding how common ingroup identity undermines collective action among disadvantaged-group members

2016 ◽  
Vol 63 ◽  
pp. 26-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elze G. Ufkes ◽  
Justine Calcagno ◽  
Demis E. Glasford ◽  
John F. Dovidio
Keyword(s):  
Collective Action ◽  
Disadvantaged Group ◽  
Group Members ◽  
Common Ingroup Identity ◽  
Ingroup Identity

Acting together with the enemy

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siwar Aslih ◽  
Ruthie Pliskin ◽  
Eric Shuman ◽  
Martijn van Zomeren ◽  
Tamar Saguy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Collective Action ◽  
Joint Action ◽  
Power Relations ◽  
Intergroup Contact ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Disadvantaged Group ◽  
Group Members ◽  
Blacks And Whites ◽  
Perceived Instrumentality ◽  
Key Barrier

The current research examines joint collective action (e.g., between Blacks and Whites) from the perspective of disadvantaged group members, for whom such action reflects a dilemma of whether to “sleep with the enemy.” Integrating insights from research on intergroup contact, helping, and collective action, we suggest that an important part of this dilemma lies in the tension between a key motivation (joint action’s perceived instrumentality) and a key barrier (joint action’s perceived potential to normalize power relations between the groups). We test this idea in three studies using different methods and different intergroup contexts. Studies 1 and 2 showed that manipulated instrumentality increased motivation for joint action, whereas manipulated normalization decreased this motivation. Study 3 showed that manipulated normalization decreased perceptions of instrumentality and thus undermined the motivation for joint action, and this occurred mainly among high identifiers with the disadvantaged group, for whom the dilemma should be most salient. We discuss the implications of our findings for theory and research on collective action and call for future research on joint action.

scholarly journals A Darker Side of Hope: Harmony-Focused Hope Decreases Collective Action Intentions Among the Disadvantaged

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siwar Hasan-Aslih ◽  
Ruthie Pliskin ◽  
Martijn van Zomeren ◽  
Eran Halperin ◽  
Tamar Saguy
Keyword(s):  
Social Change ◽  
Collective Action ◽  
Positive Emotion ◽  
Motivation To Change ◽  
Disadvantaged Group ◽  
Intergroup Interactions ◽  
Motivation For Change ◽  
Group Members ◽  
Practical Implications

Hope is viewed as a positive emotion associated with the motivation to change existing conditions. As such, it is highly relevant for social change, particularly when considering disadvantaged groups. We propose that, in the context of unequal intergroup relations, hope may actually undermine motivation for change among disadvantaged group members. Specifically, we distinguish between hope targeted at harmony with the outgroup and hope targeted at social equality between groups. Drawing on insights regarding the consequences of positive intergroup interactions, we predict that hope for harmony with the outgroup can undermine the constructive tension that motivates the disadvantaged toward equality. Across four studies, involving different intergroup contexts, hope for harmony was negatively associated with disadvantaged group members’ motivation for collective action. We further found that high identifiers from the disadvantaged group were immune to this effect. We discuss theoretical and practical implications for the role of hope in social change.

scholarly journals When we want them to fear us: The motivation to influence outgroup emotions in collective action

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 724-745 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siwar Hasan-Aslih ◽  
Liat Netzer ◽  
Martijn van Zomeren ◽  
Tamar Saguy ◽  
Maya Tamir ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Change ◽  
Collective Action ◽  
Causal Effect ◽  
Prior Work ◽  
Disadvantaged Group ◽  
Nonviolent Action ◽  
Group Members ◽  
Violent Action ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Action Tendencies

Prior work has shown that the experience of group-based emotions can motivate disadvantaged group members to engage in collective action. In the current research, we tested whether such action can also be driven by the motivation to induce certain emotions among the outgroup to the extent that disadvantaged group members believe this would help them attain their social change goals. We tested this hypothesis in three studies (two correlational and one experimental) within the context of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Study 1 showed that individuals’ motivation to induce outgroup regret was associated with nonviolent collective action tendencies, whereas the motivation to induce outgroup fear was related to violent action. Study 2 moved beyond Study 1 by assessing corrective and punitive goals of social change. We found that preferences for inducing outgroup regret mediated the relationship between endorsement of corrective goals and nonviolent action tendencies, whereas preferences for outgroup fear mediated the relationship between punitive goals and violent action. Study 3 provided experimental support for the causal effect of goals on emotion motivations and collective action tendencies. Together, our findings are in line with the notion of instrumental emotion regulation as applied to collective action.

scholarly journals The Quest for Hope: Disadvantaged Group Members Can Fulfill Their Desire to Feel Hope, but Only When They Believe in Their Power

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 879-888
Author(s):  
Siwar Hasan-Aslih ◽  
Eric Shuman ◽  
Amit Goldenberg ◽  
Ruthie Pliskin ◽  
Martijn van Zomeren ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Change ◽  
Collective Action ◽  
Efficacy Beliefs ◽  
The West ◽  
High Group ◽  
Group Efficacy ◽  
Disadvantaged Group ◽  
Emotional Processes ◽  
Group Members ◽  
Action Tendencies

Within contexts of oppression and struggle for social change, in which hope is constantly challenged, do disadvantaged group members still want to feel hope? If so, does this desire translate into actual hope? And does motivation for hope relate to disadvantaged individuals’ collective action tendencies? We suggest that, especially when faced with setbacks in the struggle for social change, disadvantaged group members want to feel hope, but actualizing this motivation depends on their group efficacy beliefs. We address these questions in a two-wave sample of 429 Palestinians living under militarized occupation in the West Bank. Our results indicate that when faced with setbacks, Palestinians want to feel hope for social change, but only those who perceive high group efficacy are able to fulfill their desire. We discuss these findings’ implications for understanding motivated emotional processes and hope in contexts of oppression.

scholarly journals Disadvantaged group members’ evaluations and support for allies: Investigating the role of communication style and group membership

2021 ◽  
pp. 136843022110109
Author(s):  
Helena R. M. Radke ◽  
Maja Kutlaca ◽  
Julia C. Becker
Keyword(s):  
Collective Action ◽  
Group Membership ◽  
Black Americans ◽  
Communication Style ◽  
Disadvantaged Group ◽  
Group Members

Limited research has examined disadvantaged group members’ evaluations and support for allies who engage in collective action on their behalf. Across two studies (Study 1 N = 264 women; Study 2 N = 347 Black Americans) we manipulated an ally’s communication style and group membership to investigate whether these factors play a role in how allies are perceived and received. We found that participants evaluated allies less positively and were less willing to support them when they communicated their support in a dominant compared to a neutral way. Heightened perceptions that the ally was trying to take over the movement and make themselves the center of attention explained these results. However, we found no effect of whether the ally belonged to another disadvantaged group or not. Our findings contribute to the growing literature which seeks to understand the complexities associated with involving allies in collective action.

scholarly journals Disrupting the System Constructively: Testing the Effectiveness of Nonnormative Nonviolent Collective Action

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Shuman
Keyword(s):  
Social Change ◽  
Collective Action ◽  
Social Movement ◽  
Real World ◽  
Effect Study ◽  
Total N ◽  
Disadvantaged Group ◽  
Nonviolent Action ◽  
Group Members ◽  
Violent Action

Collective action research tends to focus on motivations of the disadvantaged group, rather than on which tactics are effective at driving the advantaged group to make concessions to the disadvantaged. We focused on the potential of nonnormative nonviolent action as a tactic to generate support for concessions among advantaged group members who are resistant to social change. We propose that this tactic, relative to normative nonviolent and to violent action, is particularly effective because it reflects constructive disruption: a delicate balance between disruption (which can put pressure on the advantaged group to respond), and perceived constructive intentions (which can help ensure that the response to action is a conciliatory one). We test these hypotheses across four contexts (total N = 3650). Studies 1-3 demonstrate that nonnormative nonviolent action (compared to inaction, normative nonviolent action, and violent action) is uniquely effective at increasing support for concessions to the disadvantaged among resistant advantaged group members (compared to advantaged group members more open to social change). Study 3 shows that constructive disruption mediates this effect. Study 4 shows that perceiving a real-world ongoing protest as constructively disruptive predicts support for the disadvantaged, while Study 5 examines these processes longitudinally over 2 months in the context of an ongoing social movement. Taken together, we show that nonnormative nonviolent action can be an effective tactic for generating support for concessions to the disadvantaged among those who are most resistant because it generates constructive disruption.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document